Smyth expands with Omet, Mitsubishi presses

09.13.06

Smyth expands with Omet, Mitsubishi presses
Smyth Companies Inc. of St. Paul, MN, one of the USA’s largest label printers, has purchased two new presses. The acquisitions will increase Smyth’s rollfed label product offering for full body shrink sleeves and pressure sensitive labels, and its sheetfed printing for cut-and-stack paper, synthetic and in-mold labeling applications. The company is also consolidating its various manufacturing facilities through a physical restructuring program.
The first press, now being installed at Smyth’s Bedford, VA, USA sheetfed operation, is an eight-color Mitsubishi. The offset press is equipped with interdeck curing and specialized feeding to handle the film materials Smyth prints for synthetic wrap and in-mold label products. “The new Mitsubishi press will help us serve this segment in addition to our traditional cut-and-stack paper and synthetic label customers,” says Tony Parker, executive VP of sheetfed operations.
The second press, destined for Smyth’s Minneapolis, MN, rollfed plant, is an Omet servo driven, UV flexo and rotary screen press. Manufactured by Omet of Italy, the press will be used for Smyth’s pressure sensitive label, shrink sleeve label, promotional, and specialty label markets. “This is the next step up in technology for narrow and mid-web presses,” says Bill Weernink, executive VP of Smyth’s rollfed operations. “This press allows us to print high quality graphics, quickly and efficiently, using servo drives and gearless technology.” The press has been acquired through Omet’s representative, Matik North America, West Hartford, CT, USA.
These capital investments are part of Smyth’s strategy of being fast, innovative and performance driven within the markets it serves, according to John Hickey, chairman and CEO. An additional component of the strategy is for Smyth to consolidate its three sheetfed divisions into two locations. The Bedford, VA, and Austin, MN, locations will be enhanced to accommodate the requirements currently being fulfilled from its St. Paul facility, which will close later this year, Hickey adds.
“Restructurings of this nature are not easy, and we are proud of the hard work and dedication of our St. Paul employees. Our commitment to meet changing market needs and to better serve our customers has led us to this more efficient structure,” he says.
Smyth Companies, now in its 129th year, also operates a production plant in Colorado. Main markets served are food and beverage, personal care, household products, and beer, wine and spirits. The company also produces promotional in-pack and on-pack labels, including IRCs and extended text devices, the patented SNAP! packaging device, point-of-purchase displays, and label application equipment.